Lyon

I've got to admit, in some respects, I prefer France's Second City to Paris.  Lyon is fresher, cleaner, less claustrophobic than its bigger sister to the North.  Still, I have a lot of both cities to explore, but so far Lyon has come off on top.

We started on the first day doing some shopping, Nick and I both need new winter coats, and the temperature is beginning to dip a li'l, and so we now both look a little sharper!

After that, we did some exploring of the old town (Vieux Lyon), and had some lunch in a lovely little bakery.  Vieux Lyon is lovely, with old buildings, cobbled streets and hidden passageways that make their way between buildings. 

After lunch, we headed up to the Basilica with views out over the city.  The area has lovely views out over the whole city, and next door stands a miniature Eiffel Tower!  Hilarious.  After that, we made our way back down hill via the Roman Ruins.  Lyon is built around the old Gaul-Roman city of Lugdunum, and the ruins are pretty wonderful, and surprisingly well preserved in comparison to those in Rome.

Then a wander around the old Silk Making district, and back to the Old Town for dinner.


Day Two started with brunch in old town - delicious quiches finished off with a local speciality, praline tarts.  After lunch, we took a leisurely walk up to the Parc Tete D'Or, a beautiful park in the northern end of the city, made even more beautiful by the falling leaves and the autumn colours.  A visit through the zoo, then back into town.

So in conclusion, if you make your way to France, I would highly recommend a few days spent in Lyon.  It's a lovely change of pace from other areas we've visited - no vast wealth like the Riviera, and not as busy as Paris, but still with its own personality and beauty.

Nice and Monaco

Last days of warm weather...

So, following on from my previous blog post, we arrived safe and sound in the French Riviera after a rather lovely train ride from the Basque Region.  

Nice is nice.  I know it's cliche, but there's really no other word to describe it. The sun was shining, the beaches were beautiful, the people were super friendly and the streets were clean and fresh.

The old town district of the City is buzzing and alive with locals and tourists mixing together amongst beautiful architecture, and the newer areas of town are open and clear.  Set in between the beach and the mountains, it was a great way to just relax - there's very little to do apart from just chill out and enjoy the weather.   It's October, and we're still getting days with highs in their 20's - this kind of good luck can't carry on forever, so we'll enjoy it while it lasts!

However while there we decided to head off to Monaco one day just to have a look around.  This little principality is absolutely amazing!

Super yacht much?

We started off by having a look around the Royal Palace which was fantastic, sitting up on the hill above the harbour.  After lunch up on the hill and a wander around the Royal Gardens, we made our way down to the Harbour - so very many super yachts!

Then we decided to indulge our rich Nick and Corry fantasies, and headed into Monte Carlo.  The Casino is fantastic - such incredible wealth!  Just seeing all the Maseratis, Lamborghinis and Porches!  Fantastic.  And the casino itself, wow!  So much money has been invested in this area, it's overwhelming.

Me with the Monte Carlo casino in the background

Then back to Nice.  We had a quick thunder storm, but then wonderful weather again.  We're heading North now, so imagine that it won't last. 

Next stop - Lyon. 

The French Riviera!

It's been a long few days.

We have spent, over two days, roughly 15 hours on train:

• From San Sebastian;
• To Hendaye;
• To Bordeaux;
• To Toulouse;
• To Nice

 Needless to say it's been a long couple of days!

San Sebastian, I imagine, would be pretty amazing should the weather be nice.  Unfortunately it just wasn't to be this time around.  There was pretty much no sun for the entire two days we were there.  Which is a real shame - no beaches, no swimming, no wonderful lookout points.  We shall have to make a time to come back at a later date.

However, the train journey from San Sebastian to Nice, while long, was absolutely magnificent.  I would highly recommend it to anyone travelling around Europe - from the beautiful vineyards of the Bordeaux, through to Beautiful Cannes, along the ocean.

So here we are in Nice.  We haven't acheived much yet, but it should be a lovely couple of days.  The weather has been great so far, so we might be able to work on our town.

Will update more when I have something more to say, in the mean time...


WE'RE IN THE FRENCH RIVIERA!

Lovely.

San Sebastian, Night One

Sigh.

I suppose it had to happen sooner or later.  When one is travelling in the shoulder season, one should not expect perfect conditions all of the time.  And it is getting later and later, and we are travelling further northward.

Still, did it have to happen here of all places?

San Sebastian is a beach town in the North East of Spain, almost on the French Border.  It is renowned as a beautiful beach resort style city.  And it would have been an absolutely beautiful place to chill out, relax and enjoy some wonderful beach style atmosphere... if the skies hadn't opened up on our arrival.

REALLY? 

We've been looking to destress from all this travel stuff, sit on a beach, drink cocktails for weeks now.  That was why we chose this place.  Instead we've had to wrap ourselves up in jerseys and waterproof pants and carry umbrellas with us.  Do you know how much fun it is to carry 15kg packs over two kilometers in the rain?  I wasn't laughing, I can tell you.

Sigh.  Part of me knows I shouldn't be complaining.  For goodness sake, we're having the adventure of a life time, doing things we've been planning to do for months now.  Still - definite frowny face moment.

Hopefully it'll improve before we leave and we'll be able to share some lovely experiences with you all.

I wouldn't count on it though.

Bilbao

Guggenheim Bilbao

Bilbao is located in the Northern end of Spain in an area called Basque.  It considers itself almost autonomous from the rest of the country - up until Franco it had its own language, which he tried to kill off.

Originally an area defined by its industrial and mining background, it had a resurgence from the early 90's after it was allowed its own language back.   This also culminated in the building of Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum.  It's now a thriving cultural mecca, with a strong artistic bent.

The Guggenheim was definitely the highlight of the city.  It is an almost magical building - from the way it looks both internally and externally, to the flow through the galleries themselves, the way the titanium coating changes colour given the conditions around it - and this is before you even get to the artwork!  And this in itself is pretty spectacular.  Even the pieces outside the museum are worthy of their own gallery.  

Otherwise, Bilbao is a beautiful city.  The architecture is probably some of the most stunning you'll see anywhere in Europe.  The use of the river is an example unto itself.  Each of the bridges that cross the river are slightly different, and give great examples of design from the periods that they relate to - the modern bridges up the Western end of the city areavant garde and interesting without being cliche or garish, while others reflect a much older design aesthetic.

Also along the river you can take in a sculpture walk which allows you to revel in the exterior art work of the city.  We also took the cable car to the lookout over the city - well worth it to accustom yourself to the layout.

The food was pretty fantastic as well - we ate pintxos (a Basque version of tapas) and a delicious meal out in Old Town (which is well worth a couple of hours wandering around, especially if you like shopping!).  

However as we head further north, we're finding the weather to be turning a little.  The first day was in the 20's, the other two were getting a little cooler.

So now off to San Sebastian.  We hear good things!

Hold on - a modern museum PLUS a giant fingerprint??? Hrmmm, where have I heard of this before...?

Barcelona II

So, after Gaudi-ing ourselves out the first day, we have decided to see what else Barcelona had to offer.

On Monday, because like everywhere else we visited most of the museums are closed, we started off at the La Boqueria, the local market.  This is a thoroughly enjoyable experience - vibrant, colourful and intense.  Highly recommend it.

After that, we made our way down to the MNAC - Museum of Catalonyan Art.  While the museum itself was closed, the palace itself is absolutely beautiful and the views from the top stunning.

On Tuesday we took advantage of the fantastic weather and made our way down to the Barcelona Beaches.  There's something rather magnificent about being in 20+ degrees on a beach drinking sangria when you know everyone else is only just getting used to wearing T-shirts again.  Ah well.

Then after a day there, we headed down up and had a look at the Picasso Museum.  It's an interesting opportunity, after seeing some of his more famous later work, to have a look at how some of that work was shaped.  A lot of the museum is dedicated to his earlier art work, which contains elements of realism and impressionism, and then slowly moves into his later work.

So, overall a thoroughly enjoyable three days in Barcelona.  If you are heading to Europe, I would include at least a short visit to this city on my 'must do' list.  It is a beautiful city and one i would love to spend some more time in.


Today, we got up early and jumped on a train to Bilbao.  If nothing else, the train ride between the two cities is beautiful.  Quite stunning, especially when we saw the big birds of prey circling over the mountains.  Old towns on hill tops, ancient castles, huge vineyards, a wonderful journey.

So here we are!  Will update all on Bilbao - once we've managed to explore the place!

Barcelona I

Sagrada Familia

Barcelona is completely nothing like I expected.  This is a thoroughly modern city.  Here I was expecting a dirty, brown and drab city stuck in the past.  Instead this is a city that, while it respects and appreciates its past, it is fresh, clean, open and colourful.  I was amazed at the amount of green space, the wide streets, the care taken with the city.  There are parks everywhere you turn, with a mix of modern, contemporary architecture with the older.

We arrived on ferry last night in the Port, and made our way into town.  We are lucky to be staying in a cute li’l apartment right in the middle of the city.  Down la Ramblas, there is such a buzz on the streets!

So after a good night’s sleep, we decided to dedicate today to Gaudi.  Starting off with Sagrada Familia.  This is an absolutely fantastic modernist chapel, and probably one of the absolute highlights of Barcelona.  Starting with the exterior of the building which only about half finished (after so long, it’s still only due to be completed by 2020).  It feels... organic, almost as if it could have risen out of the ground.  The inside feels fresh and clean, and is flooded with light.  I’d like to come back when it’s complete to see what they’ve done with the place.

Then from there we moved up to Parc Guell.  This is a park that Gaudi designed to be a suburb that never eventuated.  I think the best description of the space is like something out of a Dr Seuss book – not a straight line in sight!  Even pillars are off-centre.

Nick at Parc Guell

Then from there we went and had a look at Casa Battlo, a residential building that Gaudi built.  Full of curves and nautical themes, the house is almost like being inside a giant sea monster.

Then finishing the day with sangria and tapas. 

So yes, I am loving Barcelona.  I am looking forward to exploring more of this amazing city over the next few days.

Rome and Final Chapter on Italy

This post is being written on an overnight ferry between Civitavecchia and Barcelona.  Yes, for those of you more observant, I’m on a boat.

I'm on a boat!

It’s been a wonderful few weeks in Italy.  We have experienced a lot of what makes this peninsula country wonderful – the history, the cuisine, the people, and the climate.  And spending the last few days in Rome was a fitting way and thoroughly enjoyable way to end the trip. 

My advice to travellers to this amazing city would be to give yourself plenty of time to explore.  There has been plenty to see in the Eternal City, and it would have been a shame had we rushed it.  Plus we also took, as strange as it may sound, a ‘day off’ (yes, I realise that neither Nick or myself have had a job since August, but still travelling takes it out of you – I’d highly recommend on long journeys to plan occasional ‘days off’ where you can stay in, do some planning, catch up on laundry etc...).

Anyway, back to Rome.  I won’t give you the whole story, but will cover the highlights.

Corry the Gladiator

We arrived last Sunday, and spent the first day exploring the ancient part of the city, that which most people associate with Rome.  After a visit to the Circus Maximus (which, while interesting, is these days essentially just a field with a few rocks) and a glance at the old Bath houses, you make your way along what appears to be an unassuming street. 

Because it’s hidden behind trees, you don’t notice the Coliseum until you’re essentially right there, with the only indication being the hawkers selling their wares on the streets).  But when you’re there, it truly takes your breath away.  You can imagine how it would have looked in days gone by.  But there’s something amazing in its ruinous state, it’s gained something in its old age – a sense of history that goes with something that age.  Plus with its bare bones, you can also get a bit of a ‘behind the scenes’ feel, being able to see under where the stage would have been, peering into the underground storage area, wandering in and out of the pillars.  An absolute must-see.

Also worth having a look at are the archaeological sites for the old Forum and Palatine Hill right next door to the Coliseum.  Because these are in a much worse state than their oval neighbour one’s imagination must work a bit harder, but they can really give you a sense of what Rome might have been like 2000 years ago.

The views down towards the Form from Capitoline Hill

Everywhere you go here, you are reminded of the City’s history.  With a history as long as Rome’s, there’s always plenty on display, but of course its ruins (which are almost everywhere) are absolutely fascinating.

The following day, we decided to take in Vatican City (another country to add to my list!).  It’s quite a pretty walk getting there along the Tiber with its tree lined streets and wonderful selection of bridges.  Anyway, first stop the Vatican Museum.  By now I’m getting slightly art-weary (how many busts is it possible to really appreciate?), but there is a good selection of pieces, both ancient and modern.  If nothing else, the museum is worthy of a visit for the Cistine Chapel.  Yes, it’s a tourist trap, and it can be a bit much being there when the Chapel is packed full of tourists, but nonetheless well worth it to see one of the most recognisable pieces of artwork in the Western canon.

Then off to St Peter’s Basilica.  I’m pretty sure that this is the largest church in the World.  I could be wrong on that count, but the de facto home of Catholicism is a stunning place, to be sure.  We of course climbed the Dome and there are some great views out over Rome from up there.

The Vatican - St Peters Square

Does this bag go with my stockings?

Other things we’ve visited in our time in Rome have included the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain (Yup, threw in the coin, made the wish), Piazza Navona, headed up to the Medici Villa (worth it purely for the views), Capitoline Museum and Hill (with the statue Romulus, Remus and the Wolf) and Mussolini’s Typewriter.  Yup, been a busy week!

I’m going to admit, much to my chagrin, that Rome hasn’t been my favourite place to visit.  Yes, it’s very interesting and you’d be stupid to miss it, but to me it didn’t have the same vibe as other places in Italy I’ve visited.  Maybe it’s just too big, too busy for my liking.  I preferred the slightly smaller cities and towns in Italy over Rome.

Okay, so Italy’s all over and done with, on the way to Espanola next.  Judgement calls for the time here:

• Eating:  Hrmm, tough call, I’m going to call it for Milan on this one.  We had some lovely meals here, including a wonderful rabbit pasta which was very flavoursome.  Although right throughout the whole country you can find fantastic food.  Try and avoid the most heavily touristed places to get the best meals
• Views:  Rome, although only just.  Because of its size, you get lots of different options on how to view.
• Art:  Florence.  Hands down.
• Beauty:  Toss-up between Venice and the Cinque Terre.  Both amazing in their own right
• Architecture:  Florence.  I really enjoyed the Renaissance feel of the city
• History:  Rome.  Easily.
• Shopping:  Strangely enough, Venice.  Because of the cruise ships and tourists, they do cater to a surprisingly large budget mix.  Plus apparently the food markets are good, though we didn’t get a chance to try them

 One final thought on Italy - DO NOT forget bug spray.  The mozzies are vicious over here, and the repellent is very expensive.

Right, get set Spain, Nick and I are on our way!

Some ponderings on travels

We didn't travel much as kids.  

Unfortunately the family didn't have much money - I remember one of the best family holidays we had was all the way from Greytown to the Hawkes Bay.  And that seemed pretty far away.  Not to say that we didn't enjoy the voyages we did take.

Well, actually...

While I always enjoyed the destinations, and the company, I do remember not enjoying travelling.  Being in a car for any longer than half an hour always seemed to drag for me, to the point where I would try and avoid it where possible, from memory.  I sort of saw that reflected today a little. 

There we were wandering around St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, taking in the marvels of one of the world's largest churches and the riches inside.  It's a marvellous spectacle, but I'll come back to this at a later post.  Needless to say that we, and the majority of those there, were thoroughly enjoying it.

And then you see the teenagers there with their parents, who have graciously covered the cost of said teenagers to take in this rather magnificent spectacle, looking thoroughly non-plussed, as if they'd rather be anywhere else than right there.  So there I am, thinking, how ungrateful!  Here you are in one of the world's great monuments, and this is how you're choosing to repay the parents who probably had to sacrifice to get you here?

Then I realised, I probably wasn't that different at her age.  Okay, slight difference between the back of the station wagon between Greytown and Hastings and the Basilica, but same basic concept.

So, in some respects, perhaps it is better to wait.  I didn't get my passport until I was around 25, but since then I've been to ten countries (and counting), and I'm enjoying every minute of it.  I don't think I really would have got as much out of my travels if I was a petulant teenager taking in the grandeur of Europe or the States.

But here I am now, getting as much as I possibly can out of this trip, and thinking about where to go after this, or where to plan for another voyage.  And, when I'm on that voyage I'll probably complain that I was too young in my 30's to appreciate it...

Seaside Villages to the Extreme!

For those of you who are unaware, about two hour's north of Florence between La Spezia and Genoa on the Mediterranean coast are a selection of five small fishing villages.  Built straight upon the coastal cliffs, these five villages are collectively known as the Cinque Terre, loosely translated, surprisingly enough, as the Five Lands.

And they are without a doubt one of the most wonderful places I have visited on my 31 years on this planet.   Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore are the most spectacularly beautiful little places.  The Cinque Terre has been protected with UNESCO World Heritage status, so retain their charm - no cars, no modern hotels, just beautiful countryside.

Riomaggiore

We arrived last Thursday and had a place booked in Riomaggiore, the first of the five villages heading northward.  We spent the first afternoon and evening just taking in this cute little seaside village - the marina, the rocky beach, the restaurants, an absolutely wonderful experience.  Luckily coming in at the shoulder season meant that there weren't too many tourists around.  Unfortunately there had been some landslips recently, so the main coastal route between the villages has been shut off.

Monterosso al Mare

So the next day we decided to catch a train to the farthest village, Monterosso al Mare and work our way back by train.  Monterosso is probably the most touristy of the towns with a large beach, but still beautiful.  It has this impressive statue (click here - not our photo I hasten to add) and a wonderful castle with views out over the ocean.

Vernazza

Next along we came to Vernazza.  Here we took the castle (which was initially used to keep an eye on local pirates - exciting!), and now serves to provide fantastic views over the town.  Then down for lunch in town, with the local specialties - seafood, wine and basil pesto.  Life is difficult.

Corniglia

After lunch, we made our way to Corniglia.  It turns out that 365 steps, while giving great views, make for difficult climbing for weather in the high 20's.  However, this made for absolutely fantastic views of the town and surrounding coastline.  Plus some delicious gelato!

Manarola

Then onwards to Manarola.  By this time Nick and I were feeling rather overheated.  Manarola has some magnificent harbour rock pools which would be great for swimming, but with nowhere to change we just took in the views.  

So, after viewing all five villages, we headed back to Riomaggiore for the evening.  After an absolutely amazing swim in the Mediterranean sea (I went swimming in the Med!), we watched the sun go down over the horizon with shockingly beautiful colours, then had a seafood dinner down by the Marina.  What a way to finish our stay!

Off to Rome next.  Time to get historical up in hizzle!

Finishing off Tuscany

(Sorry guys, this is a rather long post... but keep reading!)

Watch out!  It's falling!  Oh, wait...

As mentioned at the end of my previous blog entry, Nick and I decided to spend our last day in the Tuscan region by heading out of Florence and spending some time in Pisa, just over an hour’s train ride from central Florence.  All I was really expecting of Pisa was a tower on a slight lean.

However, I was mistaken.  For a start, the train trip between the two places is a rather lovely experience in itself.  The Tuscan countryside is absolutely marvellous with old farm houses, some in a rather rustic state of ruin.  At this time of year it’s a beautiful mix of colours – the rustic browns of the buildings matching the falling leaves, contrasted against the bright green grass that the recent rain has allowed to come through.  In the hillsides you can see great manmade cliffs from marble quarries, very interesting.  Plus villages on hills and the occasional castle or watchtower!

Then when you get to Pisa it has a life all unto itself.  It’s a student city, so the city is very vibrant and alive.  The centre of town is a mix of buildings from different areas, and the river once again splits the city in two.

As is Nick’s want, rather than just making the most direct path from A to B, we headed in the general direction of the ‘Field of Miracles’ where the Tower is located.  This allowed us to take in the surroundings and enjoy what was going on around us.  And then we turned a corner and saw the Tower in front of us.

The Tower of Pisa itself is very interesting.  It seems larger than you’d expect it to be, and at a very noticeable lean!  But almost of more interest is what else is around the Tower.  Of course, you have the hilarious tourists all trying to be original by holding up or pushing the tower over (Yes, of course we did that too, but that’s different because we’re cool).  But it’s also in rather a beautiful area – the buildings around it are even more ancient than the tower itself, and the Cathedral in the Field is a standalone beauty.  Plus the old Town Walls which go around the field add to the sense of history.  All in all, a rather amazing experience and one I’d definitely recommend a field trip to while in the area.  I think I would have liked to have spent some more time in this area.

On the way back, I started to think about some of the things I’ve seen over my time in Italy so far (we still have another week or so to go).  One of the things which has got to me the most and was almost more prevalent in Florence and Pisa than anywhere else we’ve seen is those at the bottom end of the socioeconomic scale.  The most obvious representation of this is the hawkers selling cheap goods to tourists on street corners.  While not a phenomenon I haven’t witnessed before – they’re relatively prevalent in Thailand as well – here in Italy, especially in Tuscany, they’re on nearly every street corner.  Umbrellas, sunglasses, “Rolexes”, toys, tissues, handbags are all available as cheap as chips.  Almost all of these hawkers here in Italy are of African descent and they’re almost exclusively male.

I don’t really have too much of a problem with these guys in themselves – they have to make a living somehow, and I’m pretty good at ignoring them now.  I don’t need anything they’re selling and I know that, if I did, I’d pay a little more for something that I know will last longer.  The hawkers are just part of a larger problem.

Where I think this problem is raising its ugly head in a much more tangible way is the beggars.  There’s a wide range of these and they really break my heart.  While the hawkers are almost exclusively male, the beggars are by and large women.  The most aggressive of these know when to try the hardest for a few dollars, and public transport is the most obvious target.  They’ll try to get a few cents change from those at ticket vending machines, or on trains or buses where they know their market is unable to easily move away from them.  You even see a few with their children with them.  This is particularly distressing.

Probably the most heartbreaking I’ve seen is a very old woman who was begging outside a bank.  She was on her knees, but she didn’t even raise her head off the ground.  All you could see was her head scarf, and one hand trembling.

It’s incredibly hard not to give these guys money.  I know there are very good reasons not to (you don’t know where it’s going, who’s taking a cut of this at the end of the day and once you start others get wind and suddenly you get seen as an easy target).  Plus generally speaking I don’t carry cash around with me if I can possibly avoid it.  But it doesn’t make it any easier.

I’ve been thinking about the causes of this.  I’m not naive enough to think that we don’t have homeless in New Zealand, but it just seems much closer to the surface here, and I was wondering what the difference was, what the New Zealand government might be doing that the Italian wasn’t.  Then it dawned on me.  New Zealand is a small island on the edge of the Earth which is exceptionally difficult to get to.  Italy however is not. From what I understand, there’s quite a problem with illegal immigration here in Italy.  And those immigrants have no legitimate means of supporting themselves, and they can’t get any sort of financial assistance from the Italian government as they’re not citizens.  Add to this the fact that the Italian economy has been hit hard by the recession, and problems begin to show themselves.  So even though they desperately want to get themselves to a better place for both them and their children, it’s so hard for them because the Government won’t recognise them.

It makes for a rather depressing situation for all those involved.

Goodbye Firenze, you've been wonderful.

Anyway, that’s my rant for today.  Tomorrow, out of Tuscany and up to the Cinque Terre.

P.S. - Pizza in Pisa (Sorry, had to be done.)